U.S. Army orders Saab sensor system for flight surveillance

EAST SYRACUSE, N.Y., Jan. 28 (UPI) -- The U.S. Army has tapped Saab AB to supply a non-rotating tactical sensor system for surveillance of aircraft during low-level training exercises.

The wide area multilateration system will be supplied by a division of Saab's U.S. subsidiary -- Saab Defense and Security USA LLC – to Joint Base Lewis – McChord, Fort Lewis, Wash.

"Saab WAM is a field-proven surveillance solution for accurate situational awareness of a diverse mixture of aircraft and helicopters operating in challenging airspace," said Lars Borgwing, president and chief executive officer of Saab Defense and Security USA. "The system at JBLM will provide the military with a reliable method of acquiring airspace situational awareness that will benefit training safety and force readiness."

Saab multilateration system uses multiple sensors to triangulate aircraft location based on transponder signals, giving its operators the precise location of aircraft and identification information. WAM has a higher update rate and greater positional accuracy than traditional radar.

Fort Lewis will be the fourth U.S. military installation to utilize Saab WAM for surveillance of flights.

No information was given on the cost of the system or the system's delivery date.

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